(refresh/scroll down for new pix and info as we get it)

(photo added 5:10 pm, courtesy of Cathy Woo, taken south of Alki Point)
Starting to really kick up, so we’ll open this new post in case of any problems. Note that West Seattle’s brand-spanking-new emergency-preparedness website is up and running, too – including where to gather in case of major disaster. See it here. 45 mph gust at Alki Point according to the hourly readings from the National Weather Service (that station is K91S). Let us know if there’s trouble where you are. And even if the power goes out – if you can get online, you’ll find us here too, since we have power and Internet-service backups. Another potentially helpful link: Here’s the City Light outages list (none in our area right now).

ADDED 5:28 PM: Anne from Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) photographed this rainbow while in the Belvidere area just before the sun went back into hiding:

8:15 PM NOTE: We took a sunset/dusk drive around some of the major arterials. No obvious problems. Will be watching for another forecast update in an hour or so, to see if any other “surprises” are lurking later this week. There is a big tree down in South Park, though – got this photo from 8th S and Rose (map):

We’re told City Light is cutting up the tree now and that only a few homes lost power because of the downed tree.

9:58 PM UPDATE: Sustained wind has picked up again, but the new “forecast discussion” published at 9 pm still says things should calm down by midnight.

11:08 PM UPDATE: The official forecast itself updated at 11 pm. Now says wind “easing overnight,” but potentially gusting to 35 mph now and then in the meantime. Alki Point registered a 34 mph gust at the top of the hour.

11:35 PM NOTES: We also have two reports (comments and Twitter) of some snow mixed in with all this craziness, from Fairmount and High Point.

(replaced original photo with video from Upper Fauntleroy at 8:35 am)
Nothing should surprise us, given what’s happened so far this winter, but waking up to Winter Wonderland, Yet Again, is still a bit of a shock. Someone mentioned “snow?” on Twitter last night; we went to the forecast to look and all we saw was the chance of some gusty winds later today. But at least where we are – it’s blanketed, already. And you?

8:02 AM: The current forecast insists this will change to rain later – and then give way to a wind advisory, noon-11 pm. Send a photo if you have one! editor@wsb.blackfin.biz

8:17 AM: Here come the photos – thanks! First, from Tony in High Point:

From Scott C near Myrtle Reservoir:

From King County on Twitter a moment ago:

Snow is spreading across King County, but Metro buses are still moving with little disruption. Will keep you posted if that changes

From Cathy Woo on Alki – snowing down at the lower levels too:

Reminder that if you need to drive somewhere, our Traffic page has a variety of camera views in West Seattle and on the routes leading onto/off the peninsula.

8:36 AM: Just added video to the top of this report, a shaky pan from the arterial intersection nearest WSB HQ (California/Thistle; map) for posterity’s sake and anyone who’s out of town … Remember that it did snow in LATE March last year. Now, more photos – this one from Todd in Admiral:

From Jodi in the 4000 block of Fauntleroy Way alongside the approach to The Bridge (and she reports traffic’s getting by just fine):

Via Facebook (where you can “friend” us as WS Blog), Talani reports it’s more like rain on Alki right now. Still snow here but smaller flakes, and there IS some on the road, so drive carefully if you have to go somewhere. Meantime, famous forecaster Cliff Mass explains the super-size flakes seen earlier:

The snow is full of large aggregates (many crystals stuck together)…that is why they are so large (the surfaces of the snowflakes are melitng and wet…and this acts as a sort of glue to allow them to stick to each other). This happens in marginal temp situations, like we have now.

Update on who DID forecast this: On FB, we have one report that Channel 5 did hint at this, and another that Cliff M mentioned the possibility in his Friday KUOW appearance.

9:04 AM: From Diana in North Admiral:

And on the flip side, Talani’s photo of Alki Ave out the window of the beachside Starbucks:

From JH near Schmitz Park:

Pretty sure that’s now the sound of some snowmelt in the downspout outside the nearest window … And yes, the street’s now wet with a little slush, and it’s more rain than snow. So at least your photos will be indisputable proof for anyone who’s sleeping late and might end up missing the whole thing!

9:22 AM: Via Twitter, Bridgette in the Avalon/Luna Park area reports a Comcast cable-TV outage. Anyone else? Meantime, the big flakes are back. Guess this will be off-on for a while.

9:31 AM: Kathleen just e-mailed from Highland Park and says that near Riverview Playfield, “no sign of rain” – still “tons of snow coming down.” (minutes later in Upper Fauntleroy, it’s 95% rain)

9:55 AM: Unless you’re in a micro-microclimate pocket and seeing otherwise, looks like the snow event is mostly over. But remember that there’s another round of wild weather predicted for later today – a wind advisory around the metro area, noon-11 pm – forecast excerpt:

SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH BECOMING SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH THIS AFTERNOON.

But in the meantime, the more-typical weather has arrived just in time for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market (now till 2 pm in The Junction). And the first government news release has arrived too – King County’s overview.